1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an upright-type vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for the upright vacuum cleaner, which uses centrifugal force to collect contaminants from the air that is drawn into the vacuum cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an upright-type vacuum cleaner includes a suction brush that is movably connected to a cleaner body. The suction brush moves along a cleaning surface during the cleaning process. The cleaner body includes a dust collecting chamber having a detachable dust filter disposed therein, and a motor operating chamber having a motor for generating a suction force. When the motor operates, it generates a strong suction force at the suction brush. Accordingly, contaminants, such as dust or dirt, on the cleaning surface are drawn in together with air into the cleaner body. The contaminants entrained in the air are filtered through the dust filter that is disposed in the dust collecting chamber of the cleaner body, and the clean air is discharged back into the room through the motor operating chamber.
Conventional vacuum cleaners, however, collect contaminants with the use of a consumable dust filter. When the dust filter is filled with contaminants, the dust filter must be replaced manually. Manual replacement of a dust filter is inconvenient and can result in poor sanitation conditions.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the related art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for an upright-type vacuum cleaner for centrifuging and collecting contaminants from the air that is drawn into the vacuum cleaner through a suction brush.
The above object is accomplished by a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for the vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner body, a suction brush, cyclone dust collecting means, and filtering means. The cleaner body includes a dust collecting chamber having an air intake port and an air discharge port, a motor operating chamber having a motor, and an air discharge path for communication between the dust collecting chamber and the motor operating chamber. The suction brush is pivotally connected to the cleaner body and moves along the cleaning surface, drawing in air and contaminants by a suction force generated by the motor. The cyclone dust collecting means, which is detachably mounted in the dust collecting chamber, inducing the air into a vortex, thereby separating by centrifugal force larger particle contaminants from the air and collecting the separated contaminants. The filtering means is removably disposed in the air discharge path to filter out fine contaminants from the air, which flows from the cyclone dust collecting means into the motor operating chamber.
The cyclone dust collecting means includes a cyclone body having a centrifuging body for inducing the air and contaminants that are drawn into an upper open end of the cyclone body into a vortex and separating the contaminants from the air by centrifugal force. The cyclone dust collecting means further includes a dust receptacle for collecting and storing the separated contaminants, and a cover removably coupled to the open upper end of the cyclone body. The cover includes an air intake channel and an air discharge channel. The air intake channel communicates with the air intake port of the dust collecting chamber, and the air discharge channel communicates with the air discharge port.
The filtering means includes a filter and a filter case. The filter case, is detachably disposed between the dust collecting chamber and the motor operating chamber, receives the filter and has an opening, which communicates with the air discharge path, and vents which communicate with the motor operating chamber.